"Didn't you get my letter, Josephine?" said Richard, impetuously. "No; I didn't receive any letter." "Oh, then, you didn't----" "Didn't what?" "Well, er--nothing. What was it you wanted to say to me?" "Richard," said the girl, "I may as well be frank with you. I----" She hesitated and turned her face away. "I want to break our engagement." "Want to break our engagement!" he exclaimed, dazed at this development. "Why--I----" "Yes," she said, honestly; "frankly, I do not believe that I care enough for you to marry you." "But, Josephine----" "Yes, yes; I know what you would say. I thought I loved you; but since I have come to know--Mr. Van Dorn, I am sure----" "Josephine Remington, you don't mean to tell me that you have thrown me over for Charlie Van Dorn? Why, he----" "Richard, don't say another word! I love Mr. Van Dorn, and he loves me, and I have promised to be his wife," with great dignity. "Great heavens!" answered Richard, trying desperately to keep his happiness at this announcement out of his voice and out of his face; and yet he had to confess that he felt extremely annoyed at being rejected in this summary manner for a man who he conceived to be in every way inferior to himself. He rejoiced, certainly; but the situation had elements of unpleasantness. For a moment or two these had predominated, but as he realized that he was free, he could hardly keep from shouting for joy. Indeed, he felt that his face would betray his secret, and he instinctively turned away from the two women, who were intently watching him, and covered it with his hand as he did so. "Oh, Richard!" cried Josephine, contritely, "I'm so sorry; I didn't think you cared so much. I thought you felt as I do about the engagement,--only that it was an agreed thing, and everybody more or less expected it,--not that we loved each other very much--I'm so sorry." "My poor boy!" said his mother, coming up and laying her hand tenderly on his bowed head; "this is nearly as great a disappointment to me as it must be to you, although, of course, my grief cannot be like yours. Josephine, why didn't you wait a little longer? And in his weak state, too!" "Never mind," said Revere, smiling--they thought him smiling bravely, by the way!--"I dare say I shall get over it; and if Josephine really loves Charlie Van Dorn, who is a splendid fellow, of course it is very much better that she should tell me frankly than feel that she must remain bound by an engagement in which her heart does not enter. Let us say no more about it. I will take my medicine like a man," he continued, mendaciously; "and I congratulate you, Josephine, on your pluck. I presume that I may kiss you now, just as I have done before," he said, touching his lips to her forehead as he spoke. "Yes, Richard. But I am sure they were never very lover-like kisses at best." "Not like Van Dorn's, eh!" said Richard, smiling.